NIH Director Bhattacharya Criticized For Keeping Gain-of-Function Researcher in Dr. Fauci’s Role

NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is facing increased scrutiny this week from colleagues and former supporters for his backing of gain-of-function research advocate Jeffrey Taubenberger, who currently serves as the acting director of NIAID. Taubenberger filled the role that Dr. Anthony Fauci once held.

The lab-leak hypothesis was considered a conspiracy theory at the beginning of the pandemic, and the prevailing message was that the virus had mutated at the Wuhan wet market. The FBI, CIA, and DOE have all issued statements supporting the lab-leak hypothesis. Congressional hearings with Dr. Fauci and his advisors uncovered several emails in which Francis Collins, Fauci, David Morens, Kristian Andersen, and Taubenberger all dismissed the lab-leak hypothesis and even worked to publicly dismiss it as a conspiracy theory.

Collins exchanged emails with NIH colleagues about the Great Barrington Declaration and referred to the authors, including Bhattacharya, as “fringe epidemiologists.” Collins said there needs to be a “quick and devastating takedown of its premises.”

As NIH Director, Dr. Bhattacharya has frequently stated that the NIH will not conduct or support gain-of-function research. Yet, Bhattacharya elevated Taubenberger to the acting director of NIAID in April.

Daily Caller investigative reporter Emily Kopp, formerly of US Right To Know, shared a video by Kevin Barlow in which he explains his disappointment with Bhattacharya’s actions as NIH Director. Kopp said, “Kevin helped force a reckoning at NIH for funding the research collaboration that caused COVID. But Jay Bhattacharya is squandering it, having unilaterally decided to forgive Collins, Fauci, and their underlings. That’s not piety, it’s vanity.”

Director Bhattacharya responded, “This is bad reporting by Emily Kopp.  My personal decision to forgive Francis Collins for his ‘devastating takedown’ and abuse of power pointed against me personally, has nothing to do with my commitment as NIH director to ensure there the NIH will never again support dangerous gain-of-function research that risks causing a pandemic. The leaders I’ve chosen, including Jeffrey Taubenberger, share this commitment.”

Kopp responded with a link to her article about Taubenberger’s history of participating in and defending gain-of-function research. He revived the 1918 Spanish flu from a dead body and spliced its genes with the H1N1 viruses. Kopp goes into more detail in the FOIA documents about Taubenberger’s statements to Dr. Fauci and others to downplay concerns about gain-of-function research and the potential for lab-created pandemics. 

President Trump signed an executive order in May to end federal funding of “dangerous gain-of-function research.” The EO states that heads of relevant agencies, which would include Taubenberger as acting director of NIAID, work with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) to modify the United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential.

Rutgers University Molecular Biologist Richard Ebright and Rutgers Professor of Genetics Bryce Nickels co-founded Biosafety Now, a non-profit that advocates for strict rules on high-risk pathogenic research. Bhattacharya was named a board member. Both Ebright and Nickels have spoken out against their colleague for continuing to support Taubenberger in the lead role at NIAID.

Ebright wrote, “It is impossible to reconcile Taubenberger’s statements with NIH Director Bhattacharya’s claim today that Taubenberger shares a commitment ‘to ensure the NIH will never again support dangerous gain-of-function research that risks causing a pandemic.'”

“It shouldn’t be this hard for a capable leader to admit a clear mistake,” Nickels said. “If reversing the deeply flawed decision to promote Taubenberger is beyond his ability, it raises serious doubts about his judgment on more complex matters.”

“As for Taubenberger, if he truly supports the NIH Director’s mission, he should recognize that he’s now a major liability and consider stepping aside as an act of loyalty,” Nickels said. “The longer he stays, the more likely it becomes that the “current” NIH Director will soon be the “former” one—at least under Kennedy’s HHS. Then again, perhaps that’s exactly why Taubenberger wants to remain in place as long as he can.”

With the government intelligence agencies agreeing that a lab leak is the most likely origin of COVID-19, the United States government funded the gain-of-function research that started the pandemic. That funding was approved by Dr. Fauci in the role that Taubenberger now holds.

Senator Rand Paul said Dr. Fauci will be subpoenaed regarding a further inquiry into an alleged COVID-19 cover-up if he does not voluntarily agree to testify.  “There’s never been a more documented cover-up in American history than Anthony Fauci’s COVID cover-up,” Senator Paul wrote on X. “History will not be kind to the man responsible for killing more than 18 million people.”

Ebright wrote, “Fauci willfully violated federal policies on gain-of-function and enhanced potential pandemic pathogen research; committed conspiracy to defraud, fraud, perjury, destruction of federal records, and obstruction; and caused a pandemic that killed 20 million and cost $25 trillion.”

Dr. Fauci was granted a blanket, pre-emptive pardon by President Biden in January, but claims he did not commit any crimes. Senator Paul has repeatedly said that Dr. Fauci lied under oath when he said the United States did not fund gain-of-function research in Wuhan. During an interview with Charlie Kirk in July, Senator Paul said the Department of Justice should bring charges to test the pardon. Many have speculated that the pardon is not valid because it was signed by an autopen. Senator Paul said the only way to figure out whether the pardon is valid is to challenge it in court by bringing charges against him.